From WRIL -
Friday night January 17, 2020 At approximately 9:00pm Frakes Fire Chief Jason Partin was leaving Walmart with his family headed to his vehicle when he states in a Facebook post that he saw people staring toward the last aisle on the grocery side of the parking lot.
Partin goes on to state that a “young man (identified as 20 year old Dylan Root) looks straight at me and says ‘do you see that dude?’ and as I turn to look in the direction they are looking at the car parked next to where we are parked and a large man is getting into a Gunmetal Grey Dodge Dart.” Partin continues on and says he hears a woman screaming and sees the car begin to rock. Dylan then tells Partin: "that big dude just drug that little blonde woman into his car!"
Partin tells his family to quickly get in his car and he attempts to approach the Dart. He says that he: “gets about thirty feet from the Dart, the girl throws the door open, only for it to be slammed shut and he smacks the girl’s face against the windshield with his hand.”
As Chief Partin gets to the back of the driver’s side of the vehicle, the individual ”slams it in reverse and almost hits me.” Partin then tries to reach his side arm to deter the man from leaving until law enforcement gets there, but he was out of the parking spot and into the road with several people gathering speeding off almost hitting the crowd.
Partin describes the individual as a 6'3" - 6'5", 300lb light skinned, black male and the girl as having a small frame and very short blonde hair. He states that he attempted to make out the vehicle’s tag number but couldn’t although he is sure it was a Virginia plate.
Chief Partin contacted Middlesboro Dispatch and reported it and several officers were attempting to locate the vehicle. Officer Jeremiah Johnson came to Walmart and took Partin’s report. Dispatch told Partin that they had alert the National Park Service, Lee County Sheriff's Office and Virginia State Police, but at the time, no one had seen the car. Dispatch also confirms that the vehicle has not been located.
The fire chief has allowed WRIL to publish this information in hopes that this car will be found and the individual will be caught, but especially that the girl involved is found safe. He also stated in his post: “my nerves have been shot since this happened tonight, because having a daughter myself, I know how I would feel and what I would do to someone if they kidnapped or assaulted her. I never thought I would ever see this in our little town, but man this put things in perspective tonight. Please pray for that young lady and that justice is served for that scumbag. Just wanted everyone to know about this so that maybe it doesn't happen again to one of you all.”
The picture of the Dodge Dart leaving the parking lot was submitted to us from Fire Chief Partin the other two are examples of the vehicle.